CallKit - CallDirectory extension - Added data by addIdentificationEntry

The app I'm making uses the CallDirectory extension to identify callers.

Where is the contact data added by "func addIdentificationEntry" in "CallDirectory Extension" stored?

The app calls "CXCallDirectoryManager.sharedInstance.reloadExtension" and adds contact data by processing "CXCallDirectoryExtensionContext.addIdentificationEntry" written in "func beginRequest" of "CallDirectory Extension".

I thought that if I uninstalled the app, I would lose the contact data that added by App. However, when I uninstalled the app and reinstalled it, it seemed to retain contact data that added by App before I uninstalled the app, even though the app hasn't added any contact data yet.

Will the contact data added to the "CallDirectory Extension" be retained on iPhone even after uninstalling the app?

---Note--- I found a similar post on the forum about contact data added by addIdentificationEntry.

・CallKit - addIdentificationEntry is it secure? [https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/662182]

Answer of this post that "the added data is cached in a SQLite database", but I couldn't find any official Apple documentation on this, so I'm not sure if this is correct.

If contact data is cached in SQLite, will that data remain on the iPhone when uninstalled and not deleted?

●Development environment Mac OS Sonoma 14.7.1 Xcode 16.0 Swift

●Test Device iPhoneSE3 iOS:17.6.1

Answered by DTS Engineer in 820580022

You see the data still being there even after you uninstalled your app because the system retains the data for a short period of time. The system does that to avoid data loss when it installs an app update – Installing an app update is basically uninstalling the existing app and then installing the latest version.

The data will eventually be removed after the period of time, if there is no app installation happens. I think this addresses your concern about data security.

Best,
——
Ziqiao Chen
 Worldwide Developer Relations.

Accepted Answer

You see the data still being there even after you uninstalled your app because the system retains the data for a short period of time. The system does that to avoid data loss when it installs an app update – Installing an app update is basically uninstalling the existing app and then installing the latest version.

The data will eventually be removed after the period of time, if there is no app installation happens. I think this addresses your concern about data security.

Best,
——
Ziqiao Chen
 Worldwide Developer Relations.

How long exactly is a "short period" after uninstallation?

That isn't formally documented, and I don't have more concrete information to share.

Also, I would like to delete the contact data added by CallDirectory when the app is uninstalled. Is this technically possible?

I don't think so. If you really need that, I'd suggest that you file a feedback report with your concrete use case for the team to evaluate – If you do so, please share your report ID here.

Best,
——
Ziqiao Chen
 Worldwide Developer Relations.

CallKit - CallDirectory extension - Added data by addIdentificationEntry
 
 
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